Puerto Rico has reported its second COVID-19-related death.
The Health Department says that the victim was a 73-year-old man from New York who was on vacation on the island. He was traveling with his wife at the time and was hospitalized after developing symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Puerto Rico’s first COVID-related death was a 68-year-old Italian woman who had been evacuated from a cruise ship.
“This is an extremely serious matter in which we must assume individual responsibility for the collective good,” Interim Health Secretary Concepción Quiñones de Longo said in a statement. “Stay at home, wash your hands constantly, clean surfaces and maintain social distance; especially if you are sick, isolate yourself for 14 days.”
The island has 51 confirmed cases of the virus.
Government officials are concerned that the island could not withstand a vast spread of the virus. Puerto Rico is still struggling with the fallout of the 2017 Hurricane Maria and in January, the island was rocked once again by multiple earthquakes.
On Tuesday, San Juan’s mayor warned citizens that President Donald Trump’s “botched efforts” in the coronavirus pandemic remain unresolved, much like his Hurricane Maria efforts.
“The president’s botched efforts after Hurricanes Irma and Maria cost the lives of approximately 3,000 Puerto Ricans,” Carmen Yulín Cruz tweeted. “He then put the debt before the dead. He is doing it again with his botched efforts in handling the COVID crisis [and] again it will cost thousands of lives.”
The President’s botched efforts after Hurricanes Irma and Maria cost the lives of approximately 3,000 Puerto Ricans. He then put the debt before the dead. He is doing it again with his botched efforts in handling the COVID crisis & again it will cost thousands of lives.
— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) March 25, 2020
